Improvement in harvesting-machines



WALTER A. WOOD, OF I-IOOSIOK FALLS, NEW YORK.

lMPROVElVlENT IN HARVESTlNG-lVlACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16,61! dated February10, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER A. WOOD, of' Hoosick Falls, in the county ofRensselaer and State ot' New York,haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Harvesting- Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which represents inperspective so much of a reaping-machine as will illustrate thecharacter ot' my invention.

It is found in practice that a ,rakers seat or stand which maintains thesame relative position with regard to the fra-me does not answer anequally good purpose in different heights of grain nor does a tixedposition meet therequirements of different operators, as one may desireto stand at a greater or less inclination to the grain on the platformthan another, so as to give him the easiest possible position toaccomplish his laborious duty.

The nature ot' my invention consists in so hanging the'rakers seat orstand as that it may be adjusted to or from the standing grain, so as toadapt the machine to the quality of the grain or to the ease or comfortotl the raker.

rIlo enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawing.

I propose to make the harvester-frame mainly ot' iron, of which Arepresents the front beam or ringer-bar, and B the rear end ot' theframe. These two parts A B are so united to theshoe O at one side of themachine and the frame D, which contains and supports the gearing on theother side of the machine, as to make the whole strong and substantial.The rear part of the frame B is of, an irregular form in part, exceptthat portion of it included between the points a b, which is an arc of acircle whose center is at c on the front beam or finger-bar, A, and theremaining portion is so curved or inclined as to adapt it to the otherpart's,which are connected to or dependent upon it for support orconcert ot' action.

To the point c on the barA, either by means of the lug or projection dor otherwise, is hinged a plate, E, which extends backward and is unitedto the rear piece, B, by a clasp, e, said clasp being tightened orloosened b v a nut underneath the plate E. The clasp can be moved onthat part ot' the rear piece, B,which is in thearc ot' the circle, andheld at any point in that arc that may be desired by tightening the nutunderneath the plate.-

On the plate E, in rear ot' the bar B, is placed a step, F, in which istrmly set an upright or standard, Gr, to which the rakers seat or standH is affixed, as also the hreast-sul'iport I. As the plate E is moved onits hinged point, so a-lso will the rakers stand be moved to or from thestanding grain, andas theplate moves in the arc of a circle the rakerwith each adjustment chapges his position or inclination to theplatform,his` front always being in a radial line from the point c.

The delivery from the platform is anywhere between the points bf, andot' course changing with the position of' the rakcr, and thus the gavelmay bedropped farther from ornearer to the line ot' draft or path ot'the horses, as may be desired.

I have thus described only that part of my machine which involves thepointofinvention, not deeming adetailed descriptionof the other partsofthe machine shown in the drawing as necessary in this application.

Having thus fully described the nature and Object of my invention, whatl claim therein as new, and desire to secure hy Letters Patent, is-

Making the rakers seat-vor stand adjustable in the arc ot' a circle onthe rear part -ot' the frame, substantially in the manner and for thepurpose set forth.

WALTER A. WOOD.

Vitnesses:

I. RUSSELL PARSONS, EDWD. KIRKWOOD.

